Traveling with little ones is an adventure in itself, and taking my two-year-old, Zoey, and four-year-old, Max, to Disney World was no exception! From navigating airport security with a stroller to keeping them entertained on the flight, I learned a lot about what...
K-12
What to Do If Your Kid Lacks Motivation About School
Sometimes it feels like our kids really don’t care about school. Even when they’re smart and underachieving, or especially when they’re failing school, it’s not as simple as not caring about school. A Shift in Collyns' Approach to Schoolwork Collyns, who is in fourth...
How Strict Is Too Strict?
You’re either strict or you’re not, with very little consideration for the large grey area in between. If you could place these two descriptions on a parenting scale, you might see “strict” at the same end as authoritarian and “non-strict” at the same end as...
Getting Ready for Middle School
Middle school. Just saying the words brings me thoughts of puberty and pimples. Of insecurity and awkwardness, including bad hair and braces. Really, middle school years, I believe may be the most challenging and confusing time in one’s life. However, the idea of...
How I Work to Inspire High School Students
As a principal, my husband gives many talks to the students throughout the year. Most times the talks are informational and to remind students of expectations but there are times when the talks are inspirational. During any one of these talks the students and teachers...
Is She Trying?
School is supposed to be a fun time where children learn new and exciting things about themselves and the world around them. But sometimes children can lack motivation in school and not give it their best effort. As parents, all we want is to see our children succeed...
Falling Behind in School
Here we are at the end of another school. Cohen finished 4th grade and Collyns completed 1st grade. Cohen excelled this year and continues to work very hard. Collyns however, struggled, but is it because of Covid-19 and remote learning last year? Everyone is worried...
Learning the Importance of Teamwork Through Group Projects
Few of us ever work alone in our lives. We brainstorm and discuss new ideas, we collaborate, and in some instances, we ask for help. For many of us, we welcome working with others; yet there are also times where we would rather scream, “just let me do it alone.” Trust...
Tackling School Drop-Off
Patience. As parents, we need A LOT of it. I blog a lot about household stuff—laundry, chores, how I try to be a good mom—but today this one is about school drop-off. Since the weather outside is cold, more and more parents are taking their children to school—me...
How the First Day of School Was Different this Year
Anxious. Nervous. Not ready at all. Excited. Overwhelmed. Ready. My emotions and thoughts were all over the place as I prepared for the first day of school. The planner in me was not prepared for any day beyond the first day. I was even more nervous knowing that the...
Scholarships Season Is Stressful
It's snowing outside, the Christmas lights are shining bright on the tree, and I am sitting in the recliner enjoying my cup of hot cider watching holiday movies. I'm enjoying the silence and reminiscing about the most wonderful time of the year. Then I hear it, “Mom,...
Traveling Through Life with My Squad
The group text message went like this:“Okay squad...I am 95% sure I want a tat. Who also needs one? I need my squad for moral support to get me through the door.”“I am definitely out for the tattoo, but can be there for moral support.”“I am in!!! I want one with my...
The Senior Year To-Do List
Some combination of the following statement is often said over and over, “Don’t blink. Your children grow up way too fast, before you know it they will be a _______ (fill in the blank.)”Here we are with a senior daughter. She did grow up way too fast. I realized I...
How to Get Ready for Prom
I remember it like it was yesterday: the curled pigtails, the little white dress, the big smile, the small basket of flowers. Our daughter looked like a princess walking down the aisle with the other flower girl and ring bearer. I remember saying to my husband, “Before we know it, she will be going to her high school prom.”
It’s Okay to Ask for Help
Even when I solicit input from my trusted and valued advisers — aka “my best mom friends” — I make the decisions and suffer the consequences. I addressed my son’s issues at school in my previous blogs — to be honest, he hates it. He hates talking about school,...
Is Your Child’s Backpack a Health Risk?
Did you know that 55 percent of students are wearing backpacks that are too heavy for their body? Take the load off your kids and make sure they are wearing the right backpack properly. Improper backpack use has led to more reports of back pain in children. It is...
Parent Confession: I Hate Doing Homework
I have a confession to make. I hate homework. I hate doing it. I hate helping with it. I hate the mere existence of it. It started in kindergarten, and year by year, it gets worse. I already did 15+ years of it myself. Now, I have many more years of helping my kids with their homework!
How a Teacher Makes a Big Difference
It’s hard to believe that we’re almost halfway through the school year! This summer, I wrote about the anxiety of Cohen starting a new school year. Last year, his kindergarten year (you may remember) didn’t go so well. He received numerous safe seats, hated school, acted out and wasn’t the kid I knew.
Back-to-School Anxiety
A new school year is approaching, and my son Cohen is currently in “first grade meltdown” mode at any mention of the word school.
What We’ve Learned Together This Year
This marks the last week of our oldest daughter’s freshman year. While at a graduation ceremony this past Saturday, I couldn’t help but think…in three short years, she will be walking across the stage receiving her diploma.
Thank Goodness Kindergarten Is Over
I hate to say it, but thank goodness kindergarten is over! This year has been rough to say the least. As I have mentioned before, Cohen has always been my good kid. He is caring, respectful and super helpful. But this year, something changed—and not for the better.
Interview with My Granddaughter
Not long ago, our oldest granddaughter called requesting an interview with me for a school project. Before I even thought about it, I said yes. We are notorious for saying “yes” to our grandkids without first getting all the details.
Preparing for Kindergarten: A Parent’s Struggle
As I sit here, holding back tears, I think about the previous blogs I’ve written in regard to preschool worries, after-school problems and kindergarten questions. Well, the day has come. I am getting ready to send my son, Cohen, off to kindergarten.
Help! I Can’t Find an After-School Program!
It’s 3 p.m., and school is out, but Mom and Dad work till 5. After-school programs solve a big problem for parents—most notably, how to occupy their children in the hours after school when most parents are either still at work or fighting traffic to get home to their families.
How to End the School Year Strong
By May 1, my attitude toward everything related to school gets sadly apathetic. I have grown weary of dirty backpacks, papers, worksheets, homework folders, science projects, forms to sign, end-of-the-year parties, concerts to find black pants for and the never-ending donation requests.
Are We Making Things Too Easy for Our Kids?
We love our kids, and it can be hard not to do things to make their lives easier. But, as a parent, we aren’t doing them any long-term favors by making everything easy. Life is hard. Life is expensive. Things don’t always go our way.
Deciding on a Kindergarten
Choosing between public or private has been a debate in our household ever since Mitch and I discussed starting a family. Growing up, I went to a private school and loved it. Mitch went to a public school and didn’t have a problem.
Making the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences
School has been in session for almost three months. The end of the quarter is here, which means it is time for parent-teacher conferences. This is the one time when you can ask your child’s teachers what your precious angel is really like during class.
Finding the Perfect Dress for Homecoming
It’s fall. To some, this season may mean turning leaves, apples and pumpkins. But to a high school girl it means Homecoming, a dress and a dance. To me, a mom of a high school freshman and sophomore, it means grab my wallet and grit my teeth.
Kids in High School? Relax and Enjoy the Ride
I recently read a Facebook post with advice for a mom whose youngest child was starting high school.
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